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Strike a pose: Northwood students model at the mall

Angela E. Lackey of the Daily News

Published 8:00 pm, Saturday, January 12, 2002

Her tall stature and poise might lead some people to think she's a model. Instead, she is a Northwood University fashion marketing major and Saturday's modeling stint at the Midland Mall was just a part of her education.

"It's nice to see all the different clothes. It points to graduation in a couple of years," Hosseini said.

Hosseini, 21, and some fellow Northwood students posed as mannequins for more than two hours in about 15 mall stores. The event was sponsored by Northwood and the mall. The students earned credits, learned a little bit about fashion and drew many stares and comments.

"I'm having a good time watching everybody," Hosseini said. "The little kids … they'll come up and wave."

Sue Chartier, The Avenue Plus store manager, said the models showed the latest spring fashions. Black is always in and women can put pastels with it. She said the store will carry plaids and striped shirts. But the most versatile piece, Chartier said, is something solid.

Over at Vanity, a female student models a beige shirt with strategic rips which show black. Her jeans were flared and frayed at the cuffs and she wore a beaded arm band.

Although she blinked a bit, this Vanity model stood very still. One little boy, walking by, exclaimed "Oh, they're real!" Hosseini said she kept moving a lot.

A slouching redhaired girl modeled casual wear at The Buckle. Her striped shirt was red and white, and her flared jeans were faded. Her black belt had a round red sparkly buckle.

Her fellow Buckle model was a blonde student wearing a short-sleeved striped shirt trimmed in red. As she posed, a young man ran up, pointed at her, and yelled "Hah, hah!"

Two female students modeled coats at Wilsons Suede and Leather. One wore a black suede coat with a large fluffy black collar. The other coat was a suede coat with shades of gray, trimmed with fluffy beige material on the sleeves and collar. One little boy asked his mom "Are those real people?"

"She asked me if those are real. I couldn't tell if they were fake," Yaconis said.

"It surprises me they can keep their eyes open so long," Yuncker said.

At Lane Bryant's, only a few round racks held clothing remnants. A group of children sat on the bare floor singing nursery rhymes. But a Northwood model still stood in the store's window.

"I think I get a lot of looks. They don't have anything displayed," said Tiffany Leslie, 21, of Mount Pleasant.

Leslie is a Northwood student in fashion merchandising and marketing. Asked to model at Lane Bryant's before she knew it was closing, she was concerned the store wouldn't have much left to fit her size 14 frame, which is Lane Bryant's smallest size.

"I wanted to wear something more my style," Leslie explained.

She was modeling an art print shirt with the ever-present blue jeans. Leslie seems to have at least one admirer during the show.

"He's come by about six times, making faces at me," Leslie said of one man.

There also was some glamour at several stores. In Maurices window, a student modeled a sparkling purple dress with a plunging neckline and spaghetti straps. She paired it with extremely high-heeled silver shoes.

Back at The Avenue Plus, Hosseini wore a black knit outfit paired with a white T-shirt. The shirt is quite colorful, with "Miami Beach" and a picture of waves and buildings in red glitter. As she stood there, Hosseini gave one little wave goodbye.